A Second Chance
by Jaid Skywalker
Summary: Kagome goes through an experience that leaves her washed out emotionally and makes her wonder if the world will ever be right again. Along with some others, she learns that a special few can indeed have second chances...R


Jaid: Hi guys! This is my first Inu-Yasha fic and might be my last, depending on the response. Basically, this story is the out come of several ideas and questions that I couldn't get rid off. I am tempted to label it 'AU' simply for the fact that it's probably impossible. But it was interesting to write. Please read the whole story and think about it before you review. Also, if someone has already done something like this, I am unaware of it and I am not stealing ideas! Nobody except for me is crazy enough to think this up anyway, I'm sure. 

Another thing; I am by no means a Kikyo/Inu fan, but for the sake of the story I've cut Kikyo a lot of slack. Also, I have only seen the beginning of the anime and read only one volume of the Magna. I have researched whatever sites I was able to get and I have read various copies of translated magna on line. So if there is something very wrong, please excuse my ignorance. I own nothing here. Nothing. It is all Rumiko Takahashi-sama's. I am making no money. I wrote this story simply to get it out of my head and for the enjoyment of others who might be interested in my twisted reality. Thank you for your patience and here is the story. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Her head hurt. And her eyes wouldn't open. Not easily. She was conscious of a warm, sticky liquid on her hands and body. 

"Kagome!" 

A frantic voice called her closer to reality. 

"Kagome, can you hear me!?" 

With difficulty, the girl opened her brown eyes. Inu-Yasha was above her, holding her head gently. There were tears in his golden eyes. She tried to speak, but words wouldn't come. 

"Bastard." Inu-Yasha murmured. 

"Who?" Kagome asked slowly. 

"Naraku, don't you remember?" he asked, his voice choking up. Kagome tried to think, but everything was hazy. She felt herself being moved and then blacked out. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~```

Kagome opened her eyes. Sitting up, she looked over, half expecting to see Sango on the mat across from her. Nobody was there. Standing, she walked out, only to see Inu-Yasha on the ground. Gasping, she ran towards him, calling his name. Kagome rolled him over onto his back and saw the blood. 

"How?" she cried, tears streaming down her cheeks. 

"It was the only way." He whispered, then coughed. "It was the only way to save you…" 

"No!" Kagome cried. "Please don't go." 

"You'd have to leave anyway. It's best…" he didn't finish. 

"Don't leave me." Kagome whispered. "Please." 

"I'll come for you. I always do." Inu-Yasha said. 

"How will I know you?" she asked just above a whisper. 

"You'll know." Inu-Yasha said. "You'll know." Shaking, he handed her the hilt of the Tetsusaiga. "Keep it for me." 

Kagome took it. Inu-Yasha smiled slightly at her, then a blank look came into his eyes and Kagome felt his body relax. 

"Kagome!" 

Shippo ran up. He stopped when he saw Inu-Yasha. 

"What…?" 

"He's dead." Kagome said in a stunned voice. Then all of a sudden, she hunched over, breaking out in sobs that shook her. "He's dead." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~```

Kagome sat up in her bed breathing hard. She looked at her clock which was beeping. Slapping it off she got up and walked over to her vanity. A pale, thin face stared back. Kagome's eyes went back to the sword leaning in the corner and broke out into new sobs. 

"Kagome?" her mother opened the door. "It's time to get up…" she saw her daughter. "Oh Kagome." 

Kagome didn't answer. Her mother came over and put an arm around her shoulders. 

"Do you want to stay home?" Mrs. Higurashii asked. Kagome shook her head and shakily stood. 

"I've stayed home for over a week. I need to go." She said. 

"You're sure?" 

Kagome nodded. Her mother looked like she wanted to say something, but then just left the room. Kagome sank back in to the chair. Sango had been killed that day too. They had almost gotten every shard, finally. Naraku had attacked, bent on stealing it and adding to it the few shards he had left. There had been a hard battle and Kagome remembered the jewel becoming whole. Naraku had tried to kill her. She didn't remember much after that, except that later, Inu-Yasha had apparently killed Naraku, with Miroku. Inu-Yasha had used the jewel to keep her alive, but in exchange it took his life. 

Shippo was the only one alive, she realized. Miroku had died a few days later. He'd been to badly hurt to survive and Sango's death had hit him hard. She still remembered his bitter smile as he held up his cured hand. 

_'I tried so hard, for so long, to get rid of it.'_ He had said. _'Now that's it's gone, it doesn't even matter. She's gone. And I'll never get her back.'_ He'd broken down then. Kagome had left the room, unable to handle the emotion. 

"Kagome!" Souta called. Kagome shook herself and concentrated hard on getting ready for school. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~``

I'm not sure what prompted me to pursue Kagome Higuarshii. It was almost as if, one day, I noticed her in a totally new light. Sounds rather stupid but there it is. And ironically, as soon as I did notice her, she was always gone. 

Kagome suffered from curiously bad health that kept her from school quite a bit. She had always looked okay to me, but then again, one never knows. I tried to show that I cared in other ways. Like gifts and get well cards, but I always felt I wasn't getting through. 

Then came the idea that she had another boyfriend. One that didn't go to our school. As time went on, I became more and more sure that this was the case, especially as she had the bad habit of cutting our few dates short or not showing up at all. 

She's a nice girl and I'm sure she didn't mean to hurt me or anything. In fact, most people must think me a fool, continuing to pursue her when she wasn't that interested. I couldn't help myself. 

But now, I am worried. For the past two weeks, she has been coming to school looking pale. And she's steadily getting thinner. I almost never see her smile or laugh anymore. I'm beginning to wonder if that bad health of hers has finally caught up. Maybe she's in the last stages of some disease or…now I'm getting hysterical. Come on Hojo…*sigh* At least, I would think that, if I wasn't the only one thinking it. Ayame, one of Kagome's best friends, just approached me. She's worried too, probably more than I am. 

There's the bell. It's the end of the day. I think about approaching Kagome, but she simply walks off the grounds without a backward glance, even as I call her. Sighing, I pulled my bike off the rack and sat astride it. I think I'll go talk to Gabe. 

Gabe is one of my best friends. He's sort of an adopted older brother. He's about three or four years older than me. Gabe is a rather odd person. He has an odd family as well. 

Gabe's father is a strict Spanish Roman Catholic who married a loosely Buddhist Japanese woman. Gabe's literally been all over the world in his childhood. His family works a small restaurant in a rather nice apartment building that sells mostly foreign food and panders mostly to tourists. 

Because of his background, Gabe is a slightly odd person. He is very charming and intelligent (when he wants to be), but…how shall I put this…he looks at things very differently than anyone else I know. But because he seems to know a whole lot more about women than I do, I usually would ask him about Kagome. I figured asking him again wouldn't hurt. 

I rode down the alley that leads to the back of the building. The restaurant is on the first floor, just above the lobby. I chained my bike up and knocked on the back door. Maria, Gabe's fourteen year old sister, answered and let me in. Gabe was in the kitchen, tying on his apron. 

"Hey." He nodded to me as he picked up a dark blue bandanna and tied it around his head to keep his long dark hair away from his eyes. "Got it done." 

"Hmm?" I blinked. He motioned to his ears, now sporting several small hoops in each one. 

"I can't believe you did that." I shook my head, smiling. 

"Yeah, well," Gabe shrugged. "Just another reason for Dad to yell at me." He turned to the dishes. "So, what's up?" 

I briefly told him about the past few weeks and my growing worry. Gabe listened quietly, as he rinsed the dishes and put them in a dishwasher. When I finished, he didn't speak for a few moments. 

"Maybe she broke up with whatever guy she was with and is taking it hard." He finally said. 

"You think so?" I asked. Gabe shrugged. 

"I'd have to see her." 

I sighed. "I don't know if that can be arranged." I was silent for a moment, then spoke. "I do want to talk to her though. I…I think I should tell her about my dreams and the other stuff." 

Gabe cocked an elegant eyebrow. "You want her to think you're a weirdo?" 

"No. But…" I sighed.   
"Look," Gabe stopped loading dishes and directed his full gaze on me. "There isn't any proof that you were reincarnated or whatever it was." 

"Then whatever it is, is freaking me out." I said crossing my arms. "Gabe, I'm serious. Besides, she lives in a shrine. Maybe she can help." 

"I think a priest would be more help." Gabe commented dryly, loading some teacups. I gave him a skeptical look. 

"Just bring her in. Let me talk to her." Gabe said after a few moments. I nodded. Gabe had the talent of being able to have incredible insight into a person after meeting them for a few moments. I joked sometimes about him being a psychic or an empath. Gabe always ignored me. 

"Gabe, Dad wants you to leave the dishes and come help with the crowd." Maria said, coming in with a full tray. Gabe sighed, ripped off the bandanna and pulled his hair back into a ponytail. His dad insisted that he 'not look like a gangster' when serving customers. 

"I gotta go." He said. "Bring in her in if you can, but take my advice, Hojo. Don't say anything about your weirdo stuff until you know her a little better." 

I nodded as Gabe grinned and tossed me a plastic wrapped muffin. I caught it without a glance. 

"For the road." He called, disappearing out of the swinging silver doors. I stuffed the muffin into my backpack and headed out the door. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

(Kagome's POV) 

I wearily climbed the steps up to my room. I felt tired, so tired. My grief had taken such a grip on me. And do you know what the worse thing about it was? I couldn't even talk to anybody about it. 

My family tries to understand; I know they do. But it's not the same. They weren't there, ever. They hardly had contact with any of my friends in the past. 

The five of us (six if you count Kiara) were so close. We fought together, traveled together, ate together…everything. I would have died to protect them and they felt the same way about me. We had a bond not many share. 

My backpack hits the floor as I fall on the bed. There are some days I just don't want to keep living. Why can't I die and be with them again? I want to be anywhere but here. 

I tried to go back through the well. It didn't work. My grandfather says that it is probably because my mission there is over. There is no reason for me to go back. It just makes me feel worse. Poor little Shippo. He probably thinks I've abandoned him. He's become an orphan for a second time. 

I roll over and stare at the sword leaning in the corner. Inu-Yasha's promise rings in my mind. I look almost hopefully over to the window, as if expecting him to leap through it at any minute, demanding to know what is taking me so long to get back. 

Until now, I never realized how much they had become a part of my life. A part of me. When they died, a piece of me died too. 

"Kagome?" Mom opens the door. I look at her. 

"There's someone to see you, honey." She says softly. "I think you should go down." 

"Okay, in a minute." I say, forcing a smile. It's probably Ayame or one of the others, wondering if I'm really am dying this time. Getting up, I stare back at the window longingly, then back at the sword. What's taking you so long Inu-Yasha? Why don't you come for me? 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Hojo's POV) 

I sit nervously in the living room. Mrs. Hirgurashii assures me that Kagome will be down in a few minutes. I sigh. The cat on the couch eyes me with slight annoyance, then jumps down and trots off to find another resting spot. 

The door opens and I jump to my feet as Kagome enters. She's still in her school uniform and looks exhausted. 

"Hi, Kagome." I smile. She forces a shaky one back. 

"Hi." She says in a soft voice that sounds as if she is about to cry. I sit down as she does. There is an awkward pause that makes me cringe. 

"How are things going?" I ask, more to break the silence than anything else. 

"Oh, okay, I guess." She answers, with the same soft tone, the fake smile still shakily holding it's own on her face. 

"Look, I know this sounds…Uh," Damn it, I don't know what to say. Kagome looks at me and I'm surprised by the sadness and weariness in her brown eyes. Suddenly a memory flashes. Kagome, but yet not Kagome, looking at me with the same expression. I blink. 

Kagome is frowning at me. I smile a little uncertainly. 

"I just wanted to know if you were free tomorrow afternoon." 

"Oh." She is quiet. "I'm kinda trying to catch up in school." 

"You look worn out. Maybe a short break will do you good." I urge. "There's this great little café-" 

"Hojo…" she stands. "I just can't right now. It's…really hard for me to be in public places, okay?" 

I stand as well. "Oh, okay." I answer, rather meekly. I feel horrible. Here she is, obviously struggling not to cry and I'm obliviously asking her out on a date. "If you're sure. I just thought a change would be good for you." 

She looks at me and forces the same shaky smile. "Thanks for the thought." 

I'm not quite sure how to answer. Something inside is prodding me not to give up, yet how can I convince her? 

"Look," I say. "if you need to talk, I'm willing to listen." 

Slight surprise shows in her eyes, but then the old, weary expression comes back. "You'd think I'm nuts." 

"Not really." I said. "You'd be surprised at the things I could tell you." 

She looks at me curiously. "Oh?" 

I suddenly feel slightly nervous. "Talking might be good for you." 

"Maybe." She says distantly. "Yes, it might be nice." 

I blink. "Great." I smile, though I have the disturbing feeling that she's not talking to me. "After school tomorrow?" 

She blinks and looks at me, as if shaken out of a daze. "Yeah, okay." 

"Okay." I say. There is a long pause, in which we simply just look at each other. 

"I guess I'll see you tomorrow then." I say. "I hope you feel better." I turn away, preparing to head for the front door, when she stops me by laying her hand on my arm. 

"Hojo." Her voice calls softly. I turn. 

"Yes?" 

She smiles at me, for real this time. "Thanks for caring." She says. Tears are welling up in her eyes and she tries to blink them away. I smile back. 

"Do you want me to meet you here?" I ask. "I'll come for you-" 

"What?" her voice suddenly is sharp and her hand digs into my arm. "What did you say?" 

"I said I would come for you." I say slowly, not sure what brought this reaction on. Kagome only looks at me, mouth slightly open and a very stunned look on her face. 

"Kagome?" I say in an unsure tone. She shakes herself and drops my arm. 

"Sorry." She draws herself up and looks more alive than she has for the past few weeks. "I'll see you tomorrow, Hojo." 

"Okay." I nod and then leave. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~```

(Kagome's POV) 

I'll come for you. That's what he said. That's what they both said. Chance? Likely, but I hope, hope that it isn't. 

I've never thought of it before, but if Kikyo had a reincarnation, couldn't Inu-Yasha and even the others have one as well? I have to admit, though, that Hojo is the least likely person I would suspect of being the reincarnation of Inu-Yasha. But then, I don't really act like the Kikyo Kaede and Inu-Yasha knew. Maybe a little, but not much. 

Hope stirs in my heart and I welcome it like I would welcome a breeze on a hot day. A part of me says that I'm most likely getting my hopes up for nothing, but I can't help it. He said the words. He said he'd come for me. And I think I finally believe he's here. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`````

(Hojo's POV)

I had another dream. This one was different. I usually dream about a young woman, who looks like Kagome and who is Kagome, but not. That doesn't make much sense, but there it is. She's dressed like a shrine priestess. And I'm there. But I don't look like me. I look like a yokai from one of the old tales or something. 

But like I said, this one was different. This time it was Kagome. She was crying, begging me not to go. I said I would come for her and then everything went black. It was so weird. It bothered me all throughout school. 

The dream itself wasn't odd, I guess. It was just…so real. I felt like I was in pain. Like I was dying. It was so real that I had to get up and splash water on my face to convince myself that it wasn't really happening when I got up. I keep looking at my hands and chest, looking for blood. I don't know why. 

There's Kagome. She's waiting on her porch, dressed in a short dark skirt and a sweater top. I wave and smile at her. We walk to the bus stop and get on a bus that will take us to the district the building's in. 

Kagome doesn't talk much, and I just babble about anything and everything that enters my head as we walk the short distance to the building. She doesn't say anything, just smiles distantly and walks beside me. 

Maria greets us and then takes us to a small booth. 

"Gabe will get your orders." She tells us, then scurries away. 

"Gabe?" Kagome speaks for the first time. 

"He's my friend. His family owns the café." I explain. 

"Hey Hojo. This must be the lovely young woman I hear so much about." A voice says above us. We look up and Kagome gasps violently. I glance sharply at her. She's staring at Gabe in a good deal of shock. Her hand closes around the water glasses Marie gave us so tightly that her knuckles turn white. Gabe looks at her. 

"Have we met?" he says. "I think I have seen you before." 

She doesn't answer, just stares. 

"Kagome?" I ask. Startled she looks at me. 

"I'm fine." She assures us shakily. "I'm just fine." She looks down at the table top. I meet Gabe's eyes. He looks confused. 

"Do you two want to order?" he asks, a little unsurely. I nod and order a pastry and some hot chocolate. Kagome asks for some tea. Gabe writes it down, but I notice something. 

"What happened to your hand?" 

"Hmm?" He looks up, then grins and holds up his right hand. "I sprained my wrist skateboarding yesterday." 

I shake my head. Gabe laughs and walks away. Kagome stares after him. 

"Is something wrong?" I ask. 

"No." she answers, just a little too quickly. I'm not convinced, but I let it drop. There is a short pause. 

"I thought we could take a walk in the park across from here afterwards. If you feel up to it." I say. "It's quiet and it'd be a good place to…to talk." 

"Okay." She says softly. The conversation lapses till Gabe brings our orders. Then Kagome started talking. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Kagome POV) 

I nearly had a heart attack! I was so sure that it was Miroku standing above us, grinning. This boy does look a little different though. He has a darker tone of skin and his eyes are blue. But otherwise…the cast caught me off guard. I close my eyes and shake my head. Hojo says something about going to the park and I answer quietly. 

The young man…Gabe comes back over and sets a cup of tea in front of me. 

"What's Gabe short for?" I ask on impulse. 

"Gabriel." He answers easily. "It's my middle name, but my dad calls me that all the time. Spanish Roman Catholic." He grins.

"What does your mom call you?" I ask, though I have a good idea of the answer. 

"She named me Miroku." He answered. "For some sort of Buddhist messiah. I'm not really sure." 

"Oh my god." I whisper. 

"Are you all right?" He and Hojo ask at the same time. I smile and blink back the tears. 

"Yes." I gasp, regain control. "Yes." I say, stronger this time. "I'm fine." 

The two look at me skeptically, but then Gabe gets back to work. Hojo and I keep conversation light, focusing mostly on school. I barely keep track of my answers. I know it's not chance now. It can't be. Gabe is an almost copy of Miroku, down to his voice and smile. And the same name…a thought occurs to me. 

"Hojo?" 

He looks at me. 

"What is your first name?" I ask. 

"You have a sudden interest in people's names." He smiles. I shrug, taking a sip of tea. 

"Well, it's a bit embarrassing to me personally." He admits. "How about I tell you later. Gabe will over hear it I'm sure. He's a big tease…" 

I nod. I can't wait to get to the park. 

"Are we all done?" Gabe comes over, tray full of dirty dishes. Hojo and I nod as Gabe picks up our stuff. "I'll get the bill-" 

The glass door flies open and a young woman with black, almost violet, hair in a long braid storms up to Gabe. He blinks. 

"The braided Tortoise, huh?" she asks angrily, then a leg kicks out, catching Gabe in the shin. Yelping, he falls, the tray crashing down to the ground. The girl gives a smug look and quickly leaves. 

A Spanish looking man and the girl who seated us run up and begin collecting the dishes, both broken and still whole. Gabe is on the ground, holding his right leg and swearing quite fluently, I believe in both Japanese and Spanish. Most of the other patrons are silent, staring at the wake of destruction. 

As soon as things calm down, Hojo quickly pays the bill and we leave. 

"Braided Tortoise?" I ask cautiously, after we crossed the street. 

"Turtle." He explains. "It's her nickname. I don't know her real one. Her father owns the building. She can kick. Really hard." He grimaced. "Gabe's going to have one hell of a bruise. I wonder what he did." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Hojo's POV) 

We walked in silence for a while. It was a rather chilly day and not many people were walking about. We came to a large pond and Kagome sat down, looking at the ducks. I stood for a while. After a little bit, Kagome looked up at me. 

"Hojo?" she said. "I…I need to ask you about something." 

I sat. "I need to talk to you about something too." 

"You'll probably think I'm nuts." We said at the same time. I blinked and Kagome actually laughed. 

"Maybe you should go first." Kagome suggests. I shrug, then take a deep breath. 

"I've been having dreams." I start, looking at the water. "For the past year. After I tried to get to know you actually. They always had this young woman…and she looked so much like you. In fact, I felt that in some way, she was you. But it didn't make sense." I shook my head. "None of this makes sense. I dreamt about other things too. The woman with a…I'm not sure what it was, but it was me. Other dreams where I had an old sword. Gabe sometimes even cropped up here and there." 

I turned towards her. "And then last night I had almost a nightmare. I was dying, and you were begging me not to go. Not the girl who looked like you, but you Kagome. And I remember telling you I'd be back." 

I sat down. "And there's other things too. I have flashes of memory; things I 'remember' but know I really haven't seen or done. I know how to do things I shouldn't know." I turn towards her again. "This is crazy, isn't it? Maybe Gabe's right; I'm going insane." 

She shakes her head. "No." she whispered. "It's not." Kagome looked up at me. "I understand everything now." 

I blinked. "You do?" 

Kagome nods. "It's you, Inu-Yasha." 

I stare at her. "How…?"

"Maybe you'll remember someday." Kagome whispered. "But I'm glad you're back." 

I began to feel a little uncomfortable. Oh hell with that, I was getting scared. "Back?" 

Kagome smiled. "I have a lot to tell you. Promise you won't say anything till it's done?" 

I nod. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Kagome's POV)

I told him everything. It just came out. I told him of the whole year and half and what had happened. I finished with why I had been so shocked to see Gabe. After I had finished, we sat for a long time in silence. 

"It's getting late." Hojo (or should I call him Inu-Yasha?) finally said. He stood and offered his hand to help me up. The walk home was very quiet and I began to wonder what he was thinking and if I had said too much too soon. 

We were on the footpath that leads to our house when he broke the silence again. "Why?" 

I looked startled. "What?" 

"Why did you have to go back?" Hojo said. I look uncomfortable. 

"I don't know." 

He was quiet. "Maybe Kikyo wasn't ever supposed to die." He said softly, then met my eyes. "This is all so weird. Have we been reincarnated because we have a mission to fulfill? Or is it because Kikyo and Inu-Yasha are being given a second chance?" 

I look down at the ground. "I can't answer that. But maybe you were right. I don't know. It's all so confusing-" I stop startled as he suddenly hugs me. 

"It's been your grief, hasn't it?" he said softly. "That's why you've been so pale." 

I nod. His hug becomes tighter. 

"I was so worried. I thought that whatever sickness you had was really killing you…and that I'd lose you before we ever got to know each other." 

I smile and cautiously return the hug. "You don't have to worry about that now, Hojo." I promised. "I'm really here to stay." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~`

(Hojo's POV) 

I didn't want to leave that evening, but I think I had overstepped my bounds holding her like that, just out of the blue. She told me she looked forward to seeing me. My heart was singing all the way home and I couldn't help but call Gabe up when I was in my room. 

I told him that we had talked for a long time and about our hug and how she wanted to see me again. There was a pause. 

"That's it?" Gabe asked. "Must have been some discussion." 

I smiled into the telephone. "I guess you could say that." I was quiet for a moment. "So what did you think of her?" 

"Hmm, pretty. She looked like her best friend had died though. She been having hard times?" 

"Uh, yeah, I guess you could say that." I said slowly. 

"Hojo." 

"Yeah?" 

Gabe sighed. "Don't tell me her best friend did die." 

"He did. Three of them." 

"Oh man." Gabe sighed again. "That must've been a blow."

"No kidding." 

"But she wants to see you again?" 

"Yeah." 

"Well, congratulations, bro. All your patience has finally paid off." 

I rolled my eyes, even though I know he couldn't see me. "Yeah, well, it's going to be awhile before we have a normal relationship." 'If we have one' I added mentally. 

"I'm sure you'll do fine. Gotta go; I've got this stuff to study if I want to make it into college. School stinks." 

I laughed. "You'd do fine Gabe if you really wanted to." 

"Now you sound like my mother." I can hear his grin. 

I shake my head. "Bye, Gabe." 

"Bye." 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

(Kagome's POV – several years later reflecting on what happened on her and Hojo's 'date') 

I climbed up the stairs that night alone. I was still lonely, still in shock over past events, but I had hope. And isn't that what really matters? 

I sat at the vanity and watched as Hojo walked away. I remembered how nice it felt to have him hug me like that, even if was unexpected. Then something came into my mind. Here, with Hojo, there was no competition. I didn't have to fight Hojo's past or his emotions. In a way, it was almost as if I'd switched places. Hojo would have to fight my past and my memories. But somehow, I had the feeling that we were going to be okay. And I knew that even if there was something that he and I and maybe even Gabe were supposed to do here, then we'd make it. If there's one thing I've learned, it's that nothing is ever meaningless or just out of the blue. Every decision we make, every thing that we do leads up to something and is part of something bigger. I didn't know then what it was, but I figured, it'd have to be something, right? 

It was years before I got the answer to that question. But I got a chance to be a high school girl, with a boyfriend, who went on dates, hung out with her friends and didn't worry about being killed or having to grow up too soon. I still mourned my life in the past, but slowly I healed. Hojo helped and so did Mom and Grandpa and Souta. And now, I'm engaged to a wonderful man. We're opening an antique shop and he's already bought the building. The wedding is tomorrow. Gabe's the best man. I've grown to like this grinning, laid back Spaniard who reminds me so much of his past self. I look out the window and smile. Hojo's under the tree, waiting for me to come down. Rehersal's today. This is the last day I am Kagome Higurashii. Tomorrow, I start a whole new life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Whew! Well, I have to admit I'm glad that's over. This story has been a very anxious experience; reincarnation is a messy thing to deal with. I have plans for a sequel, which happens several years after Hojo and Kagome are married. And yes, you do see familiar faces crop up in it. I'll start writing it if you people are interested! CC is vastly appreciated and encouraged; Flaming is not (its very immature ppl!). Could anyone tell me how to spell Kagome's last name? I just went with how it sounds. And I'm pretty sure that in the anime, one of her friend's is name Ayame. If now, oh well. I would love feedback, even though I feel this really is not the greatest work you probably have read. Thank you all and good bye.


End file.
